Jack for leveling-machines.



E. A. WEBSTER.

.TAGK FOB. LEVELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1909.

1,086,099. Patented Feb. 3, 1-914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Minesses: j, .Z'rwenior: 1 5

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-,WASHINGTON. D. C.

E. A. WEBSTER.

JACK FOR LEVELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1909.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET- 2.

JIM/e12 to 7',

M'Zzzesses.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wAsl-jiun'mrd, n. c.

E. A. WEBSTER.

JACK FOR LEVELING MACHINES. APPLICATION I'IILED NOV. 29, 1909.

Patented Fb.3,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

witnesses:

rrnn STATES PATENT is.

EDWIN A. WEBSTER, 0F GROVELAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES K.

FOX, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS; IDA L. FOX, LAMONT H. CHICK, AND ROBERT D. TRASK, EXECUTORS 0F SAID CHARLES K. FOX, DECEASED".

JACK FOR LEVELING-MACHINES.

Patented Feb 3, 1914.

Original application filed June 10, 1909, Serial No. 501,238. Divided and this application filed. November 29, 1909. Serial No. 530,291.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. WEBSTER, of Groveland, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Jacks for Leveling-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in last jacks or supports, and particu larly to acks which may be advantageously used in connection with sole leveling machines of the type shown in the U. S. Patent to \Vebster, #727,516, dated May 5th, 1903, but which may be used to advantage in connection with other forms of leveling machines and in other relations, this application being a division of my application filed June 10, 1909, Serial Number 501,238. In leveling shoes with a leveling roll, such as is shown in said patent, it is customary to move the jack back and forth beneath the roll, tipping the shoe by means of the supporting mechanism of the jack, first to one side and then the other, so that there is a strong downward pressure on the edges of the shoe, which tends to cant the last on the heel-post and split it. Furthermore, when a last becomes weakened by splitting, while it might still be used for other purposes, it cannot be practically used'in a leveling machine unless suitably supported. \Vhile a leveling roll, such as is shown in said patent, is especially desirable for use in leveling turned shoes, there are several particularly serious objections to such use, which may be explained as follows: In the operation of these machines the leveling roll is rotated so that its engaging surface moves toward the toe of the shoe while in engagement with the sole thereof. The friction between the roll and sole causes a strong tendency to draw the sole forward on the last, with the result that the back portion of the counter is sometimes drawn onto the bottom of the last, or the heel of the sole is lifted from the bottom of the last, so that this portion of the shoe must be drawn back into position by hand. It is, moreover, not practical to level the heel-seat of a shoe in the machine of said patent, for the reason that probable damage thereto. It is, therefore,

necessary to beat out the heel-seat by hand when the fore-part is leveled in the machine. The drawing action of the roll also tends to stretch the sole, so that it is longer than the last, and the toe of the sole projects beyond the toe end of the last. These results are highly objectionable, as it is practically impossible to get the shoe back into proper shape, when it has been pulled out of shape, and, at the best, it necessitates the employment of labor toremedy the defects.

The objects of my invention are to provide a form of jack on which a last may be placed in position and locked, or jacked, as quickly as this may be done on an ordinary jack, and which will also hold the last rigidly in position while the leveling action'is being performed, so that pressure of the leveling roll on the edge portion of the last is notresisted by the heel-post, but by means 1which prevent possibility of splitting the ast.

A further object of my invention is to counteract eifeotively the drawing action of the leveling roll on the sole, so that the counter will not only be prevented from being pulled out of position or onto the bottom of the last, but that said portion will also be drawn onto the last more smoothly and tightly by the leveling operation, than it was before said operation was performed, so that the sole will be firmly held against the bottom of the last throughout its entire surface and the heel-seat will be made square with the counter-portion of the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the entire surface of the heel-seat may be leveled by the roll, and all possibility of the roll being brought into engagement with the end of the sole is prevented.

Another object of my invention is to counteract the tendency of the roll to stretch the sole, so that it will be made longer than the last.

I accomplish these objects by the means shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a jack made according to my invention, the position' thereof on a leveling machine being indicated, and the parts being shown in 1111- locked position. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the jack on a larger scale, showing the parts in locked position. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the jack. Fig. 4 is a section on the line et -aof Fig. 2, showing a rear end elevation of the jack. F i 5 is a central section on'the line b?), of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the last-engaging members. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sectional views at the lines (Z d, and 0'"c' of Fig. 5, respectively.

As shown in the drawings, 1 indicates the main frame of a leveling machine, having the levelingroll 2, and the U-shaped support 3 for the jack, mounted to swing transversely in the U-shaped frame 4, the latter being so mounted that it may be moved and tilted forwardly and rearwardly, and moved vertically, so that the last supported on the jack may be universally moved, as described in said patent.

According to my invention a pair of upright plates orears 7, 8, are rigidly mounted on, and preferably cast integral with the yoke 3, and a heel-post support 9, made in the form of a flat plate and bearing the usual heel-post on the upper end thereof, is pivoted on a pin 10 between said plates 7 8, to swing in the customary mannen Said heel post support is provided with an arm 11 which extends obliquely upward from the rear side thereof, and a lever 12 is mounted to swing on a pivot 13, held in the end of said arm, said lever 12 being provided with a longitudinal slot 141-, to receive said arm 11, said slot extending from a point adjacent the upper end of said lever to a point adjacent its lower end. The end of said lever 12, below said slot, is provided with a cam face 15, which extends obliquely across the same, and the support 9 is provided with a cam face 16, which is disposed opposite said face 15 and extends convergently upward with relation thereto. The upper end of said lever 12 is provided with a hollow post- 17 which extends longitudinally thereof, at a slight angle thereto, and a heel holder 18 is slidably mounted on said post, said holder having a chamber 19, in which the post is located. A spring 20 is arranged in the bore of said post 17 and is interposed between the bottom of said bore and the bottom of the chamber 19, the reciprocating movement of said holder on said post being limited by means of a stop-screw 21-, mounted in post 17 and extending into a slot 22 formed in the holder, said screw being readily removable to permit the holder to be removed from the post. Said holder 18 is provided with a U-shaped or concave recess formed between two rearwardly-extending projections 23, 24, and the inner surface of said recess has a lining secured thereto, said lining preferably being of slightly corrugated rubber, or some other material which will not injure the upper of a shoe, when forced into engagement therewith, but which is, however, adapted to engage the same frictionally with considerable force. The inner walls of said projections 23, 24:, diverge at their ends sufliciently to permit the heel portion of a shoe to enter the same readily, while the inner portion of the recess is formed to fit closely about the heel end of the shoe, so that the lining 25 may be pressed firmly against the sides of the heel or counter portion of the shoe. The inner sides of said walls extend nearly vertically at their lower portion and their upper portions are inclined inwardly to a slight ex tent, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, to conform to the shape of the heel-portion of the shoe adjacent the sole, The upper surface 26 of the holder is slightly rounded, said surface corresponding somewhat to the longitudinal curve of the roll 2, a surface of considerable width being provided between the bottom of the recess and the outer sides of the holder. WVhen holders of this form are employed, several sizes are provided, but

each holder is adapted for a number of sizes.

A set lever 27 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 28, said shaft being held in an car 29 of the upright 7, and said lever being extended obliquely downwardly and inwardly to the central vertical plane of the jack, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower end of said lever is pivotally connected to one end of a horizontally-extending link 30, and the opposite end of said link is pivoted to one arm 31 of a bell-crank lever, said arm ex tending upwardly at approximately right angles to link and the other arm 32 of said lever extending approximately horizontally forward. The intermediate portion of said lever is mounted on and secured to a pivot shaft 33, which is rotatably mounted in an car 34; on the rear edge of the heel-post-support 9, adjacent the lower end thereof. The shaft 33 extends through the ear 34 and an arm 35 is secured to the projecting end thereof, in a position parallel to the arm 32, said arms 32, 35 being thereby held closely adjacent the opposite sides of the support 9, and acting as one arm. The front ends of said arms 32, 35-. are each provided with longitudinal slots 36 and a roll 37 is provided, having adjacent trunnions 38, which extend into said slot 36, said roll being thereby permitted to rotate therein and to move longitudinally of said arms 32, 35. When thus held in the ends of arms 32, 35, said roll 37 is supported between the cam faces 15 and 16, in position to engage both, or either of said faces, as hereafter described.

The particular locking mechanism for the lever 27 is of well-known form, and comprises an angular hand-lever 39, pivoted at the front.

40 on lever 27 and a link 11, pivoted to an intermediate portion of said lever and to a crank arm 4:2, the latter being secured on a shaft 43 rotatably mounted in lever 27 adjacent its lower end, said shaft having a pawl 44. thereon adapted to engage teeth 45 mounted on upright 7. A spring 46 on lever 27 acts normally to hold said pawl in engagement with said teeth 45. The lever mechanism above described does not differ materially, either in construction or oper-.

ation, from the ordinary set lever.

A toe rest 47 is pivotally mounted at 48 on the frame 3 and is adjustably connected by a swivel-screw 49 to the rear edges of the uprights 7, 8. The upper end of the rest is provided with an abutment 50, which is mounted on a stem 51 to move vertically in the toe rest, a spring 52 being provided to support the same, and a stop screw 53 being also provided to limit the upward movement thereof by said spring. The abutment 50 is provided with a U-shaped recess 54 in its front side, formed to receive the toe end of a shoe, and its rear side is provided with a rearwardly-extending projection 55, so that a slightly rounded, but nearly fiat surface is provided which extends rearwardly for some distance from the bottom of said recess.

The manner in which the above-described device operates may be described as follows: The toe rest is adjusted by means of the screw 49 in the proper relation to the heel post for the size of shoe which is to be leveled, and the last, bearing the shoe to be leveled, is then placed in position on the jack in the ordinary manner, the parts being in the position of Fig. 1. The lever 27 is then pushed rearwardly until the last is jacked, as shown in Fig. 5, and as hereinafter described, said lever being automatically locked in the position to which it may be advanced by its pawl and ratchet mechanism.

The manner in which the last is jacked may be described as follows: As the upper.

end of the lever 27 is pushed rearw'ardly the lower end thereof draws the link 30 toward As the link 30 is connected to the arm 31 of the bell crank lever, and the latter is pivoted on the lower end of the heel post support 9, by means of shaft 33, which is located at some distance below its pivot 10, the preliminary movement of lever 27 causes the support 9 and lever 12 to be swung about pivot 10 as a center, until the tip of the shoe is carried into engagement with the toe rest 47, so that resistance to further movement of the heel post toward the toe rest is encountered. Further movement of the lever 27 then causes the arms 32, 35, to be swung upwardly, forcing the roll 37 upwardly between the converging cam faces 15 and 16. The cam face 16 is arranged to extend obliquely outward with relation to an arc having the axis of shaft 33 as a center, so that, as the arms 32, 35, are swung upwardly, said roll 37 will be pushed away from said axis, said movement being permitted by the slotted bearings 36 provided therefor in said arms. The cam face 15, however, is arranged to extend obliquely inward with relation to said axis, and, moreover, as said roll 37 is pushed away from said center, it will be forced against said face 15, so that, as the arms 32, 35, are swung upwardly, the lower end of lever 12 will'be swung forwardly and the holder 18, carried thereby, will be swung rearwardly toward the heel post until said holder is forced against the heel end of the shoe. Resistance to the upward movement of the arms 32, 35, thus encountered, causes the forward pull on link 30 to be exerted-on the shaft 33, so that the heel post will be forced rearwardly to an extent suflicient to press the toe of the shoe or last firmly down on the toe rest. Simultaneously with this movement the holder 13 will be pressed still more forcibly againstthe heel of the shoe, so that, when the handlever 27 is pushed down or rearward as far as possible, the last will be firmly jacked on the heel post and toe rest and the holder 18 will, at the same time, be firmly pressed against the heel of the last, the parts being locked in this position. It may be observed that, while there is, under some conditions, a certain sequence of operation, both the jacking and clamping operations are performed practically simultaneously when the handlever 27 is pushed rear-wardly, and the reaction caused by the resistance encountered in performing one operation will cause the other to be also performed. However, the sequence of operation, while largely dependent on conditions of size and adjustment, is, in fact, a matter of no consequence, the desired result being that both operations shall be performed with one lever, in practically one operation.

The heel-holder 18 and abutment 50 are so arranged that, when the last is jacked, the toe of the shoe will bear firmly against the bottom of the recess 54 in said abutment and said holder and abutment will both extend for a short distance (approximately one half an inch in practice), above the surface of the sole, as shown in Fig. 2.

The last having been jacked, the leveling operation is performed as follows: The jack is raised and moved rearward until the middle portion of the heel-seat is directly beneath the axis of the leveling roll 2 and then the jack is raised, so that the roll bears against the projections 23, 24, of the holder, and the movement is continued until the holder has been pressed down, so that its upper face is on a level with the surface of the sole and the roll may bear against the same with suflicient force to perform the leveling operation thereon. The jack is then moved forwardly and rearwardly until the heel-seat is properly leveled and the sole pressed firmly against the heel of the last. In performing this operation the projections 23, 24:, act as positive guides for the operator, causing the shoe to be held exactly vertically with relation to the roll, so that equal pressure will be brought to bear on each side of the heel-seat and all possibility that the heel seat will be pressed out of position with relation to the counter is prevented. This is a matter of much importance, for, in beating-out the heel-seat by hand, it frequently happens that the heelseat is not left in the desired shape, so that the heel, when attached, does not set properly with relation to the counter portion of the shoe. Inasmuch as the holder fits closely about the edge of the sole at the heel end, and a broad surface is provided in the rear of the shoe at the level of the sole, after the holder has been pressed down by the roll, as above described, it is impossible for the roll to be brought into engagement with the rear edge of the sole at any time, permitting the heel of the sole to be; leveled to the extreme heel end without danger of injury to the shoe, for if the jack is pushed back so far that the roll bears on the surface of the hold r in the rear of the shoe, the holder cannot be further depressed except with great dilliculty, so that the holder thereby acts to prevent the acl; from being raised so that the sole is at any time above the level of the under side of the roll.

l i hile the holder 18 is being depressed, as above described, it is, at the same time, be ing held in. firm frictional engagement with the back or counter portion of the shoe, so that, as the holder is depressed, it will cause the whole counter portion to be pushed or drawn down onto the last as far as possible. The result is that the sole is drawn down firmly onto the heel of the last and all wrinkles in the counter portion are pulled out, an operation which has previously been performed by hand with no little difliculty, being performed as an incident to the leveling operation in a length of time which is inappreciable and in a much more effective manner than when performed by hand.

After the heel-seat has been leveled, the rest of the sole will be leveled in the usual manner, the holder 18 firmly supporting the last against sidewise tipping. lrloreover, the holder 18 acts to clamp the counter portion of the upper firmly against the last about its entire end, that the upper cannot be pulled onto the last bottom by the drawing action of the roll upon the sole, This action is also, to a certain extent, rcsisted by the abutment 50, which bears against the toe end of the sole and prevents the sole from being drawn out so that it is longer than the last.

As above stated, the abutment 50 extends above the level. of the sole, so that when the toe portion of the sole is leveled the roll will be caused to engage said abutment and press the same down to the level of the sole, to permit the leveling operation to be performed on this portion of the sole. In either position, however, it bears against the front. edge of the sole, but by having it normally extend above the level of the sole, an effective abutting face will be pre sented under all conditions. The abutment 50 also acts as a guard for the tip of the shoe, preventing possible injury thereto by the roll.

The tension of the springs, which lift the holder and abutment 50, is only sufficient to lift said parts when the last is removed, neither having sufficient strength to lift said parts when the last is clamped in position.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the particular form of heel holder shown and described, as any form of engaging means, device or devices, which will perform the functions thereof, is within the spirit and scope of my invention, the most. important of said functions being to draw down the counter portion of the shoe onto the last jack, to clamp said counter portion against the last, so as to hold the same against the drawing action of the leveling devices, or leveling roll, to act as guard to prevent the leveling roll from pulling the shoe from the last or causing injury thereto by engaging the end of the sole thereof, to act as a guide to the operator to prevent unequal pressure at opposite sides of the heel seat, and to support the last effectively during the leveling operation. hilioreover, while the particular form of means and devices shown and described, for accomplishing the operations of jacking the last and. clampingthe heel portion of the shoe practically simultaneously, or in practically in one operation, is more desirable than, any form of which 1 am aware, yet l do not desire to limit my invention to the particular form of operating device or hand lever disclosed, or to the particular actuating means which are interposed between the operating lever and the jacking and clamping devices, as any means whereby the jacking and clamping operations may be performed one operation, or by practically one motion of the operator. by inmiing a handle, I consider to be within the spirit and scope of my i vention. The iarticular form of actuating means shown for the clamping and jacking devices, consider to be especially desirable, as they are simple and durable and unlikely to get out of order, and, moreover, are adapted to adjust themselves automatically to widely varying conditions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent is:

1. A last :jack comprising a vertically movable, counter-engaging device having a vertically disposed, counterrengaging face, means for normally sustaining said device with its face in an elevated position with relation to the normal level of the bottom of a shoe held on the jack, and means for clamping said face against the counter-portion of the shoe and for holding it in clamping engagement while said device is depressed, to draw said counter-portion firmly onto the last by frictional engagement, substantially as described.

A last-jack, comprising last-jacking devices and holding devices for clamping the heel portion of a shoe againsta last held on the jack, and an operating device movable independently to engage and simultaneously to operate said last jacking devices and said holding devices, substantially as described.

8. A last-jack comprising a toe rest, a

heehpost movable toward said rest to jack.

the last, a holder disposed at the opposite side of said post from said rest, and movable toward the post to clamp the heel portion of a shoe held on the last, an operating lever, and means independently actuated thereby for moving said heel-post toward said toe rest and for moving said holder toward the heel-post, substantially as described.

4. A last-jack comprising a heel-post movable to jack the last, a holder movable to clamp the heel-end portion of ashoe on the last, an operating lever movable to engage and move said heel-post to jack the last and independently to move and engage said holder to clamp the shoe, and means for locking said lever, substantially as described.

5. A last-jack comprising a toe rest, a heel-post movable toward said rest to jack the last, a holder movable to clamp the heel portion of a shoe held on the last, and an operating device and independent means simultaneously actuated thereby to move said heel-post to jack the last and the holder to clamp the shoe, substantially as described.

6. A last-jack comprising a toe-rest, a heel-post movable toward said rest to jack the shoe, a holder movable toward said post to clamp the heel-end portion of a shoe held on the last, a lever for independently engaging said heel-post to move it toward the toe-rest and said holder to move it toward the heel-post, and means for locking said post and said holder in the position to which theyare moved by said lever, substantially as described.

7. A last-jack comprising a main support,

a heel-post support pivotally mounted thereon and movable to jack the last, a holder pivoted on said heel-post support inthe rear thereof, and movable to engage the counter-portion of a shoe held on the last, and means for moving said holder and said heelpost support into operative relation with each other, to jack the last, substantially as described.

8. A last-jack comprising a main support, a heel-post support pivotally mounted on said main support and movable to jack the last, a heel-holder support pivoted on said heel-post support, and having a heel holder thereon movable thereby to clamp the heel-portion of a shoe on the last, and an operating lever pivoted on said main support and having means disposed to be operated thereby for moving said post support to jack the last and said holder support into clamping position, substantially as described.

9. A last-jack comprising a heelpost support, and a clamping support, actuating means for moving said heelpost support to jack the last and actuating means formoving said clamping support into clamping position and an operating device for both of said actuating means, the actuating means of one support being connected to said operating device through the actuating means of the other support, substantially as described.

10. A last-Jack comprising a heel-post support, and a heel clamping support, a-c tuating means for moving said heel-post support to jack the last and actuating means for moving said clamping support into clamping position, the actuating means of one support having an operating device and being disposed to react on the actuating means of the other support, when operated, to permit resistance to the actuation of one to cause actuation of the other, substantially as described.

11. A last-jack comprising a main support, a heel-post support, a heel=olamping support pivoted on said heel-post support, an operating lever pivoted on said main support, actuating means for moving said heel.- post support to jack the last and actuating means for moving said clamping support into clamping position, the actuatingmeans of one support beingconneoted to said lever and disposed to react on the actuating means ofthe other support to permit resistance to the actuation of one to cause actuation of the other, when said lever is operated, substantially as described.

12, A last-jack comprising a main support having a heel-post support, movably mounted thereon, and a heel-clamping support movably mounted on said heel-post support, an operating device mounted on said main support and having actuating means for moving said heel-post support to jack the last and actuating means for moving said clamping support to clamping position, the actuating means for said clamping support being connected to said operating device through the actuating means of said heel-post support, substantially as described.

13. A last-jack comprising a main support having a heel-post movably mounted thereon, and a heel-clamping support movably mounted on said heel-post support, a main operating lever pivoted on said main sup port, and a supplemental lever pivoted on said heel-post support having one arm connected to said main lever and the other arm disposed in position to move said clamping support into clamping position, said main lever being movable to actuate said heelpost supportthrough the pivot of said sup plemental lever, substantially as described.

14. A last-jack having a main support, a heel-post support pivoted thereon, and a heel-clamping support pivoted on said post support, an operating lever pivoted on said main support, and means operated by said lever, for moving said post-support to jack the last and for moving said clamping support to clamping position, comprising a bellcrank lever pivoted on said post-support and having one arm disposed to engage said clamping support, and the other arm connected to said main lever, substantially as described.

A last-jack having a main support, a heel-post support pivoted thereon, and a heelclamping support pivoted on said post-support, an operating lever pivoted on said main support and means operated by said lever for moving said post-support to jack the last and for moving said clamping support to clamping position, comprising a supplemental lever pivoted on said post-support, an engaging device mounted on one arm of said supplemental lever to move longit-udi nally thereof, in position to engage said post-support and said clamping support, simultaneously to react against said post support and to move said clamping support to clamping position when said supplemental lever is moved in one direction, and connections between the other arm of said supplemental lever and said main lever so disposed that the line of force through which the main lever acts extends to one side of the pivot of said supplemental lever, substantially as described.

16. A last-jack comprising a main support, a heel-post, a heel-post support pivotally mounted on said main support and having said heel-post above its pivot and an engaging face below its pivot, a lever pivoted on said post support at an intermediate point, and having a heel-clamping device mounted on its upper end adjacent said post and having an engaging face on its lower end arranged facing the engaging face of said post support, a bell-crank lever pivoted on the lower end of said post-support, and having one arm extending horizontally and the other depending, an engaging device mounted on said horizontallyextending arm between said faces and movable longitudinally of said arm, and an operating lever pivoted on said main support and having a connection with said depending arm, substantially as described.

17. A last-jack comprising a main support, a heel post, a heel-post support pivotally mounted on said main support and having said heel-post above its pivot and an engaging face below its pivot, a lever pivoted on said post support at an intermediate point, and having a heel-clamping device mounted on its upper end adjacent said post and having an engaging face on its lower end arranged facing the engaging face of said post support, a bell-crank lever pivoted on the lower end of said post support, and having one arm extending horizontally and. the other depending, a roll jeurnaled on said horizontally extending arm and movable longitudinally thereof between said faces and in engagement therewith, and an operating lever pivoted on said main support and having a connection with said depending arm, substantially as described.

18. In a jack for leveling machines, a toerest having a toesupporting face and an abutment yieldingly supported adjacent said face in position to engage the tip end-portion of the sole of a shoe supported by said rest and arranged normally to extend above the level of the sole and to be depressed to said level, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDlVIN A. lVEBSTER.

Witnesses:

LoUIs H. HARRIMAN, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, .D. G. 

